The
Joker is back, and every bit as crazy as before. He’s got his sights set on two
targets. The Jokerz, who have been terrorizing Gotham in his name. One might
expect the Joker to be touched (in the head), but he sees them as a bunch of
wannabes sullying his stellar reputation for insanity. So instead, immolation is
the sincerest form of flattery.

His other
target is Batman – any Batman. Bruce Wayne, Terry McGinnis, doesn’t really
matter. Whomsoever shall wear the emblem of the Bat shall draw the ire of the
Joker. And that goes for Robin, too. As Dick Grayson puts it, it never ends
well for a Robin. Crowbar to the skull, bullet to the head, a Robin eventually
falls.

But I’m okay
with that, cuz the new Robin (Terry’s younger brother Matt) is schway annoying.
One might think his youthful enthusiasm endearing, but the kid’s downright
drunk on being Robin. He needs some massive head trauma to sober up. Especially
when he outs Terry in front of his new girlfriend. Okay, maybe the girl knew
Terry was Batman, but Matt didn’t know she knows.

So as this
issue draws to a close, we are presented with “Joker Beyond,” which is perhaps
too on the nose for my taste. It’s not as if Terry flies around Gotham calling
himself Batman Beyond. He’s just Batman. So hopefully Mr. Jurgens & Co.
will wrap this up sooner rather than later, defeat the original Joker for good,
and maybe a new one will be inspired to take his place.